New term: new menu

7 September 2010, 14:15 | Updated: 7 September 2010, 14:28

Park Junior in Wellingborough is one of several schools to sign upto a county council programme to provide hot lunches for pupils.

Currently, only 28 percent of pupils have a hot meal at school and the county council's hoping to increase that to 45 percent by 2012.  

With increasing rates of obesity in children leaving primary school officials decided to invest in an improved hot meals service, having secured £15 million from the Government.

Schools can decide to opt into the Nourish programme and meals cost two pounds, for those parents not eligible for the free-meals programme.

By 2012 the programme will be extended to 226 schools across the county.  Some of those will have catering facilities updated or built on site whilst others will operate as cooking hubs and deliver the meals to nearby schools.

Heart had the chance to sample the menu with children at Park Junior in Wellingborough and we were treated to spaghetti bolognaise with garlic bread, sweetcorn and green beans followed by a toffee apple sponge with vanilla sauce. It was far better than school meals, back in the day...